GB2304559A

GB2304559A - Vehicle head restraint system

Info

Publication number: GB2304559A
Application number: GB9518169A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry James Craig; Peter Steele Horsford
Original assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Current assignee: MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date: 1995-09-06
Filing date: 1995-09-06
Publication date: 1997-03-26
Also published as: GB9518169D0

Abstract

A head restraint system for a vehicle seat comprising a head restraint (12), a connector (14) for connecting the head restraint (12) to a seat (S), means for allowing adjustment of the height of the head restraint above the seat (19), and means enabling rotation of the head restraint (18) to a forward position in which it does not protrude significantly above the height of the seat back.

Description

VEHICLE HEAD RESTRAINT The invention relates a restraint for the head of an occupant of a vehicle. Particularly the invention relates to a head restraint which can be lowered when the associated seat is not occupied to minimise any restriction to visibility.

It is known to provide a head restraint comprising a cushion portion which restrains rearward movement of a head which might occur during a vehicle collision for example.

The cushion portion is generally connected to a seat by two downwardly depending legs which pass into escutcheons positioned in the top of the seat. Such head restraints can be height adjustable and it is known to provide a series of notches in at least one of the legs which notches co-operate with a catch such as a spring clip in an escutcheon thereby to fix the head restraint at selected positions above the top of the seat.

However, in the lowermost position, the cushion portion protrudes above the top of the seat and therefore restricts vision. This is particularly significant in relation to a central passenger seat in the rear of a saloon car for example. A head restraint for the central passenger is an important safety requirement but the head restraint can restrict the rearward vision of the driver using the internal rear view mirror even when the seat is not occupied.

It is known to provide a head restraint for the central rear seat position which comprises part of the normal seat back and is fully retractable therein. The cushioned part of the head restraint is movable between a fully retracted position in which it forms part of the seat back cushion, to an upwardly extended position in which it can act as a head restraint. A problem with this type of head restraint is that a passenger need not extend the head restraint to an operable position in order to occupy the central seat.

Accordingly, the safety of a head restraint is not always provided.

The invention seeks to avoid or at least mitigate the problems of the prior art. Accordingly there is provided a head restraint system for a vehicle comprising a head restraint, a connector for connecting the head restraint to a vehicle seat, means for allowing adjustment of the height of the head restraint above the seat, and means enabling rotation of the head restraint for a forward position in which it does not protrude significantly above the height of the seat.

Beneficially, the head restraint system enables the head restraint to be lowered when the seat is not occupied thereby providing optimum rearward visibility.

Additionally, the head restraint system prevents comfortable occupation of the associated seat thus inducing the occupant to raise the head restraint to an operable position thereby providing the safety of a head restraint.

Preferably the rotation means comprises a pivot intermediate the ends of the connector which can comprise one or more legs depending from the head restraint and an associated escutcheon which is attachable to a seat. An associated leg and escutcheon can comprise co-operating locking means which are adjustable to allow the selection of height of the head restraint above the seat. If two legs are provided then only one leg and associated escutcheon need to have a notch and co-operating spring clips for example.

Preferably the leg having locking means also comprises a stop means for co-operating with the associated escutcheon to inhibit removal of the leg from the escutcheons. The distance between the stop means and the pivot is preferably equal to or less than the distance between the escutcheon locking means and the top of the escutcheon. Thus, beneficially the pivot is not exposed above the top of the escutcheon at any time during the use of the head restraint.

The escutcheon preferably comprises a slot to allow rotation of a leg portion above the pivot and more preferably comprises means for holding the leg portion in its rotated position. The escutcheon can comprise a cap positionable on top of the seat, which cap can comprise a through bore for receiving the leg and a slot extending away therefrom for receiving the rotated leg portion.

The cap can also comprise lugs adjacent the slot which act frictionally to grip the rotated leg portion to hold it in its rotated position.

Further, the leg preferably comprises a recess portion having a sloping upper face intermediate the pivot and the end of the leg remote from the head restraint. Such a sloping face enables easy insertion of the leg into the escutcheon having locking means and easy setting up of the head restraint into its upright position after it has been folded forward.

Another aspect of the invention provides an escutcheon for a head restraint system according to the other aspect of the invention. The escutcheon preferably comprises an upper sleeve portion having slot to allow rotation of the head restraint connector at the pivot.

A further aspect of the invention provides a head restraint for a head restraint system according to the other aspect of the invention.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view of a first embodiment of a head restraint system according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded, schematic, perspective view of part of the escutcheon shown in figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of part of a leg of the system shown in figure 1; Figure 4 is a schematic, perspective view of part of a seat having a head restraint system shown in figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 5 is a schematic side elevation view of part of a head restraint system according to a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view of part of a leg for the system shown in figure 5.

Referring to figure 1, there is shown a first head restraint system 10 according to the invention, the system 10 comprises a head restraint 12, such as a cushioned head rest. One or more legs depend from the head rest 12 to connect it to the top of a seat S. The legs comprise an upper portion 14 and lower portion 16 pivotally connected at pivot 18. The legs extend into an escutcheon 20 in the top of the seat. The escutcheon 20 comprises a substantially hemispherical cap 22 which is connected to barrel or sleeve 24 comprising a lower radially extending portion 26 and an upper radially extending portion 27.

Briefly, to fit the escutcheon to a vehicle seat, sleeve 24 is inserted into the top of the seat and into an internal seat frame such that radially extending portions 26 and 27 co-operates with parts of the seat frame to maintain the escutcheon in position. The cap 22 can then be inserted over the top of escutcheon barrel 24 prior to inserting the lower legs portion 16 into escutcheon 20.

Also, with reference to figure 1 it can be seen the head restraint system 10 enables height adjustment of the head restraint 12 above the top of seat S due to the cooperation of a spring clip 28 provided in radially protruding portion 27 of escutcheon 20 with notches 19 in upper leg portion 14.

Turning to figure 2, further details of the escutcheon are shown. Cap 22 comprises a substantially hemispherical body 30 through which passes a bore 32. The cap 22 also comprises a slot 34 having upper retaining lugs 36.

Conveniently, slot 34 and lugs 36 can be created by drilling an aperture through body 30 into bore 32.

Additionally, cap 22 comprises a downwardly protruding lug 38.

The sleeve portion 24 of escutcheon 20 comprises a bore 40 which passes through the length of the sleeve and an upper cylindrical portion 42 having slots 44 which passes radially through opposite sides of the portion 42. There is also provided a radially extending lug 46 to enable rotation of sleeve 24 due to co-operation with lug 38 of cap 22.

The radially protruding portion 27 comprises a first annular flange 50 and a second annular flange 54 separate by an annular channel 52. The flanges 50 and 54 act to retain a spring-clip 28 as shown in figure 1. A slot is provided in the wall of barrel 24 to allow the spring-clip 28 to abut a leg passing through bore 40. Further, barrel 24 comprises an intermediate sleeve portion 56 which is connected to lower portion 26 as shown in figure 1.

Referring to figure 3, the upper and lower leg portion 14 and portion 16 are pivotally connected at a hinge 18 which can be provided by an upper lug 58, comprising a bore 60, on leg portion 16, and a lower lug 62, comprising a bore 64 at the bottom of leg portion 14. By aligning the bores 60 and 64, a pin 66 can be used to create the pivot.

Additionally, lower leg portion 16 comprising a recess portion 68 having a lower end 70 and upper end 72. The lower end 70 is preferably substantially radially extending whilst upper end 72 is preferably inclined, for example at 450 to the horizontal or radial direction.

In order to raise and lower head 12 in its upright operable position, such as shown in figure 1, cap 22 is rotated such that lug 38 effects rotation of barrel 24 due to co-operation with lug 46. The rotational movement of sleeve 24 effects relative movement of spring clip 28 away from a notch 19 in upper leg portion 14, thereby enabling the head-rest to be raised or lowered so that a different notch 19 engages clips 28.

However, this embodiment also provides for rotation of head restraint 12 to a forwardmost position as shown in figure 4. In the example, a pair of legs 14a and 14b depend from a head rest 12 and respectively pass through caps 20a and 20b of a pair of escutcheons in a seat S. In order to effect forward rotation of head restraint 12, cap 20 is temporarily rotated so as to disengage clip 28 from a notch 19 and the head restraint 12 is raised to an uppermost position in which spring-clip 28 engages lower flange 70 in lower leg portion 16.

Preferably the distance Y indicated in figure 1 between flange 70 and the top of pivot 18, i.e. at the top of cap 58, is substantially equal to or less than the distance Y indicated in figure 1 between the spring-clip 28 and the top of cap 22. Thus, the pivot does not protrude above the top of the cap in this uppermost position. However when raised to this position pivot 18 is located in the region of slots 44 in sleeve 24 and slot 34 in cap 22. It is thus possible to rotate head restraint 12 forward so that upper leg portion 14 is received in slot 34 of cap 22 and the forward most slot 44 of cylindrical portion 42 of the escutcheon 20. The rearward slot 44 in the escutcheon can usefully enable rotation of the end of the lug 62 at the end of leg portion 14.Beneficially, since the distance X is substantially equal to or less than distance Y as just described, forward rotation movement of the head restraint causes leg portion 14 to pass between the upper retaining lugs 36 in cap 22 thereby to retain the upper legs portion 14 in a forwardly rotated position. Therefore the head restraint 12 is maintained in its forward rotated position in which it does not protrude significantly above the height of seat back S. Additionally, the head restraint 12 is held in position thereby to prevent easy removal. The forward position of the head restraint could make sitting in the associated seat most uncomfortable thus requiring a would-be occupant of the seat to rotate the head rest 12 back to an operable position.

Upon raising the head restraint it can be lowered so that spring-clip 28 engages a notch 19. Indeed, since upper end 72 of recess 68 in lower leg portion 16 is included to the horizontal it is relatively easy to pass the lower leg portion 16 over the spring clip until the lowermost notch 19 on upper leg portion 14 engages the catch. Beneficially the pivot 18 is again retained within the escutcheon 20 thus preventing accidental forward rotation. Indeed, reinsertion can be automatic if the weight of the head restraint is sufficient to cause recess end 72 to pass over the spring clip 28.

A second embodiment of the leg portion of a restraint system 10 is shown in figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment an upper leg portion 14' is pivotally connected to a lower leg of portion 16' at pivot 18'. An escutcheon 20 similar to that just described can be used. In this embodiment lower leg portion 16' comprises a pair of upper flanges 58' and 59', each comprising a through-bore 60' which are aligned to enable a through-bore 64' in a flange 62' of upper leg portion 14 ' also to align therewith and thus allow a pin 66' to pass therethrough thereby to provide a pivot 18'. Additionally, lower leg portion 16' comprises a recess region 68' having a sloping upper end 72' but no lower end.

In order to effect forward rotation of head restraint 12, the leg can be raised upwardly as described earlier except that pivot 18' can be exposed above the top of cap 22 thus requiring both rotation of head restraint 12 and upper leg portion 14' and downward translational movement thereof in order to effect engagement of upper leg portion 14' in retaining lug 36 of cap 22.

In this embodiment, no lower retaining stop, such as flange 70 of recess portion of 68, is provided thereby easily to enable removal of head restraint 12 from a seat.

Claims

1. A head restraint system for a vehicle seat comprising a head restraint, a connector for connecting the head restraint to a seat, means for allowing adjustment of the height of the head restraint above the seat, and means enabling rotation of the head restraint to a forward position in which it does not protrude significantly above the height of the seat back.

2. A head restraint system according to claim 1 wherein the rotation means comprises a pivot intermediate the ends of the connector.

3. A head restraint system according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the connector comprises one or more legs depend from the head restraint and associated escutcheon which is attachable to a seat.

4. A head restraint system according to claim 3 wherein an associated leg and escutcheon can comprise co operating locking means which are adjustable to allow the selection of height of the head restraint above the seat.

5. A head restraint system according to claim 4 wherein the associated leg comprises a stop means for co operating with the associated escutcheon to inhibit removal of the leg from the escutcheon.

6. A head restraint system according to claim 5 wherein the distance between the stop means and the pivot is preferably equal to or less than the distance between the escutcheon locking means and the top of the escutcheons.

7. A head restraint system according to claim 7 wherein the escutcheon preferably comprises a slot to allow rotation of a leg portion above the pivot.

8. A head restraint system according to claim 7 wherein the escutcheon comprises means for holding the leg portion in its rotated position.

9. A head restraint system according to claim 8, wherein the escutcheon comprises a cap positionable on top of the seat, the cap can comprise a through bore for receiving the leg and a slot extending away therefrom for receiving the rotated leg portion.

10. A head restraint system according to claim 9 wherein the cap comprises lugs adjacent the slot which act frictionally to grip the rotated leg portion to hold it in its rotated position.

11. A head restraint system according to any one of claims 4 to 10 wherein the associated the leg preferably comprises a recess portion having a sloping upper face intermediate the pivot and the end of the leg remote from the head restraints.

12. An escutcheon for a head restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A escutcheon according to claim 12 comprising an upper sleeve portion having slots to allow rotation of the head restraint connector at the pivot.

14. A head restraint for a head restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.